TVA Conducts Field Studies at Chickamauga

April 14, 2015

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Visitors to Chickamauga Dam are likely to see activity on the downstream side of the dam over the next several weeks as part of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s continuous hydro improvement program.

TVA engineers will be conducting field studies to examine the properties of the dam’s foundation. They will be collecting samples using a barge-mounted drill. The data will refine a health check analysis of the 5,800-foot dam in 2013.

“TVA dams perform well and are continuously monitored to ensure they are performing as designed,” said John McCormick, vice president of TVA Safety, River Management and Environment.

The drilling activity began Monday and is expected to take about six weeks, depending on weather and other factors. Vehicle traffic will not be affected.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power distributors serving 9 million people in parts of seven southeastern states. TVA receives no taxpayer funding, deriving virtually all of its revenues from sales of electricity. In addition to operating and investing its revenues in its electric system, TVA provides flood control, navigation and land management for the Tennessee River system and assists local power companies and state and local governments with economic development and job creation.